Messaging Archives - Page 4 of 27 - Claxon Communication

Should you ask people to “help” or “give”?

April 7, 2016 by Erica Barnhart

[The Language Lab makes it easy for you to put research to work for you and your mission. Each installment gives you research-backed intel on one specific way you can work happier, smarter, and more effectively. To stay in the know, sign up to get Language Lab missives delivered directly to your inbox.]

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Should you ask people to “help” or “give”?

The One Thing You Need to Know: People like to help rather than give. Frame your requests with this in mind.

What Works?

The Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago looked at whether people preferred to “help” or “give”. They had two groups of people. Both groups were asked to imagine that they worked a job as a street vendor who sells popsicles. (Why popsicles, we don’t know. Maybe they were also trying to see what people really would do for a Klondike bar!)

Okay, so one group was then asked if they would donate the equivalent of a day’s wage. Another group was asked if they would volunteer for a day, and then told they could work their regular job selling popsicles and donate what they earned.

Turns out, the idea of “volunteering” for a day was much more enticing than donating the equivalent of a day’s wages.

Why? The authors propose that when the ask is initially framed in terms of money, it prompts people to think about what they are giving up. Framing in terms of helping prompts people to think about the impact of their assistance, which they are happy to offer.

This is consistent with research on loss aversion, i.e. we are more unhappy about losses than we are happy about gains. In this scenario, giving up money is a loss and the warm feelings we get from benefiting an organization we care about is a gain. Be careful about which side of that balance you draw attention.

Bottom Line: If you want people to give, ask them to help.

Future research we’d love to see

A real-world test so we have a better sense of what happens when people envision their actual wages vs. hypothetical wages. The success of the organization One Day’s Wages would lead one to believe that people can get behind the idea of giving a day’s worth of wages. But it might still be true that language that uses “help” is more effective than “give”.
Research (again, real-world) on the effectiveness of starting with “help” and then switching to “give”. Can you switch or do you have to stick with helping language throughout? Inquiring, inquisitive minds want to know!

Want more?

Peruse the paper that we’re citing here. Sending out a spring appeal? Test this for yourself. Do two versions of your appeal: one using “give” language and one using “help” language. A/B test on 10% of your list and then use whichever version works best. If that sounds daunting, we love testing and are here to help!

Researched for you: Unit-Asking [Language Lab]

March 31, 2016 by Erica Barnhart

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What is Unit-Asking?

The One Thing You Need to Know: Ask donors how much they would give to help one individual and then ask how much they would give to help a larger number.

What works?

You’ve heard about the power of the Story of One. But have you heard of the Power of Unit-Asking ? Here’s an example of how it works:

Start by telling the story of Monica, a struggling reader currently in fourth grader.
Describe in detail how their donation could turn Monica into a great reader through peer tutoring.
Ask how much they are willing to invest in Monica’s future.
Then explain that that Monica is not alone. She is one of many. (Describe how many.)
Then ask how much they are willing to invest in the futures of kids just like Monica.

That jump from one to many is called unit-asking. And it works like a charm.

What doesn’t work?

Telling the donor out of the gate that there are thousands of struggling readers. Nope, that makes the donor’s brain shut down because it sends the message that this problem is so big their donation won’t be able to make a dent.

Want more?

Here’s a cool inforgraphic on unit-asking and a link to the original research paper from whence the above info was gleaned. If you want help trying out unit-asking in your next appeal, just hit reply to this email.

Eradicate adverbs. Strengthen your writing.

March 7, 2016 by Erica Barnhart

Sometimes you stumble across something and you think, “That awesomeness needs more eyeballs on it!” That’s what we thought when we saw Andrew’s AdverbLess infographic. As you know from reading this blog, I’m a fan of adverbs myself. However, I completely concur with Andrew that you have to know how to use them. And that they often make your writing less compelling. Andrew’s tips will help make your writing wowerful!

No matter why you write, whether for business or a personal hobby, it’s important to produce content that is both interesting, and high-quality. To grab your readers’ attention, your text should be relevant to their interests and depict some useful tips and hints. Plus, it should be without mistakes.

Obviously, who wants to read a mediocre article? No one.

Well, writers can make different mistakes (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). Thus, a good writer tries to edit and proofread texts before publishing, and sometimes it’s hard to eliminate your mistakes, so using tools and apps is important.

To strengthen your prose, you need to be sure that every sentence is informative and makes sense, so being careful about using adverbs is a must.

What’s Wrong with Adverbs

An adverb is an important part of speech as it modifies verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and quantities. Adverbs may describe how, when, or where something happened and help readers understand the context completely. Although nouns and verbs give color to your writing, adverbs can make your prose better, but most writers don’t know how to use them.

Moreover, most people misuse adverbs and, therefore, make their prose weaker: most adverbs can be removed if you know how to find a more precise and descriptive verb/adjective/adverb.

One day, I decided to craft a tool to help people highlight their adverbs. The fewer adverbs you have, the better your writing is, and AdverbLess is ready to help you with it.

About AdverbLess

AdverbLess is a tool that is aimed at highlighting adverbs, so you can control adverb density and quantity. I’ve crafted a user-friendly website, so there is no need to write a guide on how to use it – just enter your script and press the button.

Plus, I’ve made an infographic about the usage of the adverbs in the English language, so you can learn something new from it.

Next time you need to analyze your adverbs, pay attention to this infographic to understand core pros and cons of using this part of speech in your writing.

How AdverbLess Helps Writers

Although this tool is simple, it can improve writing skills if you use it correctly. It’s not enough to paste the text to polish your skills. However, if you are careful about every highlighted adverb and you know whether it is worth removing or not, you can learn how to use the adverbs correctly in order not to weaken your prose. Little by little, AdverbLess helps writers become more attentive about using this part of speech.

Final Thoughts

An adverb is a part of speech which is misused more often than not, so it’s important to learn all tricks about its usage. Don’t turn your solid ideas into mediocre writing: eradicate adverbs and become a better writer.

Key takeaways:

Learn how to use the adverbs

don’t weaken your prose with the adverbs
double check the text to find the adverbs to remove
use AdverbLess for free
revise your text several times

Have you ever thought about the role of the adverbs in your writing?

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Andrew Howe is fond of writing, marketing, and languages. He runs AdverbLess as he believes this tool can help to improve writing skills.

Nonprofit vs. Non-profit: Does a hyphen make a difference?

February 24, 2016 by Erica Barnhart

Ever wondered whether you should use “nonprofit” or “non-profit”? If you’re in the U.S. or Canada, the answer is: non-profit.

With the hyphen.

I confess I’ve never liked the hyphen in there. It looks clunky. Or sloppy. Or something. So I’ve been a long-time fan of the visually tidier “nonprofit”.

Boy oh boy, was I wrong. At least if my goal was to use a term that would make it as easy as possible for people wanting to market their non-profit to find their way to us here at Claxon. (In my defense, if visual tidiness was my goal, I would’ve been totally justified in eschewing the hyphen.)

Here’s the deal: Using Google Trends, we learn that people search for “non-profit” way more than they search for “nonprofits”. Adding that little hyphen ups your search engine results which, in turn, ups your odds of someone making their way to your website.

Now, what if you’re interested in attracting folks abroad? The hyphen/no-hyphen debate isn’t even relevant. That’s because in places like the U.K., they don’t use either “nonprofit” or “non-profit”. Nope. They use “charity”.

In the U.S., the word charity has a somewhat antiquated feel. It conjures up images of Oliver Twist asking in his most adorable little boy voice if he can please, sir, have some more. Charity connotes a hand out, rather than a hand up.

Not so in the U.K. They have charities. Lots and lots of charities!

So if you’re a U.S. organization or Canadian organisation wanting to grab the attention of donors in the U.K., charity is your term of choice.

This handy dandy chart shows which terms are used most often in each geography.

	US	Canada	UK
Nonprofit	40	7	1
Non-profit	100	63	6
Charity	23	39	100

The graph below will reinforce that if you have a global audience, your hands-down winner is “charity”.

Post Readability Stats: Reading Ease 69.3, Grade Level 6.4

Do Happy Salmon Make for Good Messaging?

January 22, 2016 by Erica Barnhart

Until the other day, I hadn’t thought much about happy salmon.

But that all changed when Adrian Shulock, who works for the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, sent me a delightful email.

After reading my SSIR article on how to spruce up your mission statement, Adrian shared a bit about their mission and the statement that explains it. What I learned was so happy-making, I asked if I could share it publicly. Lucky for us, he said yes!

To be clear: The following is not meant to imply that NSEA should officially change its mission statement. I’m not recommending they edit their by-laws, etc. It is, instead, offered as an objective take at how effectively their mission statement engages those new to the organization. It is food (or chum…couldn’t resist) for thought.

Okay, let’s start by looking at NSEA’s current mission statement. This statement appears loud and proud on their homepage. Its starring role means its job is to make visitors go, “Ohhhh, that’s cool. Tell me more!” Inspiring them to voraciously click their way through the site to learn more.

NSEA is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom county.

In the plus column for this statement? They focus on ONE THING–restoring sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County. No laundry list here. Huge kudos for that.

In the minus column: the Reading Ease Score on this statement is, alas, zero, meaning it’s almost impossible to understand what they’re saying. People rarely ask questions about things they totally can’t understand (too daunting, they feel dumb). So it’s a conversation-stopper, rather than a conversation-starter.

Also, according to the Wordifier, the statement is packed with words popular with other nonprofits, lowering the chances that it will pique people’s interest. Bummer.

Adrian noticed that the mission statement didn’t exactly blow people’s hair back. So, when people ask what NSEA does, Adrian now says:

NSEA fixes broken creeks so that salmon – and you – can live happy.

This response scores a whopping 81.8 for Reading Ease! This statement does have a few words popular with nonprofits in general. BUT the way in which Adrian combines them makes them interesting. What does a happy salmon look like? How do happy salmon make my life happier? How do you fix broken creeks? All intriguing questions that would propel the conversation forward. Which is exactly what we want.

Again, I’m not necessarily suggesting NSEA officially change its mission statement. That’s a Big Deal that warrants Much Deep Thought & Analysis. I am, however, suggesting that they figure out how engaging their mission statement really is to supporters who would want to fix broken creeks so salmon–and people–can live happy.

For more tips on writing a mission statement that’s as great as your mission, check out this SSIR article. It’s a quick, practical read.

Need help making your communications as awesome as possible? We’re here for you.

Post Readability Stats: Reading Ease 59.7, Grade Level 7.8

5 words that may be wrecking your year-end fundraising

December 9, 2015 by Erica Barnhart

You may very well be so tired of futzing with your year-end fundraising missives that the thought of even one more tweak makes you break out in hives. BUT if you can muster it, I’d highly encourage you check out this infographic from GrammarCheck.

If you can work up to nothing else, scan your communications for the word ‘very’. Very is unnecessary. Avail yourself of the wonderful list of alternatives at the bottom of the infographic!

Brand Statement Re-Do: Alternatives for the Seattle Public Library

November 20, 2015 by Erica Barnhart

After writing this post on the Seattle Public Library’s rebranding fiasco, I asked my graduate students at the University of Washington to take a pass at revamping the Library’s Brand Statement…with one catch. They had to use the criteria I recommend nonprofits use for their Mission Statements:

Pick your verb first.
Don’t use the verb ‘provide’.
10 words or less (up to 15 if you have to).
Reading Ease Score over 50% and Grade Level under 8, excluding the name.

For reference, here’s the Brand Statement that library patrons were asked to evaluate in the survey sent out at the tail-end of the Library’s rebranding effort:

The Library provides access to knowledge, experiences and learning for all. We preserve and create opportunities for the people of Seattle who make it such a dynamic and desirable place to live. When we’re empowered as individuals, we become STRONGER TOGETHER

They worked in groups and had 15 minutes to complete the task. Here’s what they came up with:

We welcome everyone with a space to gain knowledge and access to resources. [70/8.2]
We foster an inclusive space to learn, explore, and grow. [78.2/4.8]
We connect you to the ideas and information you need to engage in civic life. [73.2/7.1]
We open doors to knowledge and opportunities for the people of Seattle. [53/8.8]
Through access to knowledge and experience, we strengthen Seattle. [56/7.6]
We cultivate knowledge and learning experiences for all Seattle residents. [35.9/14.5]
Your library connects Seattle to knowledge, ideas, and opportunities. [41.3/10]

After each team put their submission up on the board, each student got to vote for which one most resonated with them. The first two on the list above were the winners.

I thought it was interesting that both used the word “space”. I asked them if that accurately reflected today’s Library, given how many people avail themselves of the Library’s offerings without ever setting foot in an actual library, i.e. online. One student pointed out that space doesn’t necessarily have to mean a physical space. It could be a broader definition of space. The space, wherever someone was, to learn and read and grow, whether that’s on-line or in-person. Interesting point.

The following week, I did a similar exercise with nonprofit leaders who came to a training I did called Mission Statements & More, sponsored by Washington Nonprofits. This group didn’t have to get the Reading Ease Scores because we were in a spot that had no access to the Internet and no bars on phones (gasp!).

Here’s what they came up with (transcribed verbatim):

The Library brings the world to your fingertips.
The Seattle Libraries engage our community through education and imagination.
The library connects us to the world. SPL. Your access to a world of knowledge, creativity, and experiences.
Seattle Libraries empowers us through access to knowledge in a dynamic community.
Transporting Seattle through film, computers, and story – your Seattle Public Library.
Inspiring people to explore the vast learning resources available.
Explore the world through history, learning, and making connections.
Seattle Libraries encourage community knowledge and experiences by learning together.
Seattle Libraries nurture community knowledge, experience, and learning.
Empower individuals to become stronger together. The Library.
The Seattle library empowers individuals to experience learning in a modern, dynamic environment.
Accessible (free) learning experiences for the community.
Gaining access to knowledge, experiences, and learning to empower individuals.

Some of these are more taglines than Mission Statements (in that taglines aren’t always full sentences). But still. Good work for 15 minutes!

Coming up with a 10 word statement that communicates the essence of what an organization wants to be known for isn’t easy. One of the most common traps nonprofits get caught up in is over-thinking it all. “If we say this and not that, people won’t understand what we’re about! We need to say it all!!!”

That’s why mapping your messaging to an Engagement Cycle is so handy–and effective. It releases you from feeling like you have to shove everything into one sentence. And liberates you to think about the bigger story you want to share, and how you can parse that out so it’s easily digestible.

I’m not saying any of the statements above are spot-on for the Library. Without being privy to their What (goals and objectives) and Who (their target audience), we’re not in a position to definitively comment on a How (in this case, messaging). But it’s interesting to see how some library lovers who weren’t part of process would communicate what they perceive the essence of the Library to be. Especially interesting when they’re only given 15 minutes to complete the task.

Post Readability Stats: Reading Ease 55, Grade Level 8.6

***Claxon University–where smart nonprofits learn to use better words to create a better world.***

Lesson 12: How will you socialize your message?

November 17, 2015 by Erica Barnhart

This is the final installment in our series introducing you to Claxon University, where smart nonprofits go to learn how to use better words to create a better world.

Claxon University’s first course is Words on a Mission. Each of the twelve lessons in the course asks a fundamental question a nonprofit needs to answer in order to develop high-impact messaging. In each post in this series, I’ve shared what the question was, along with a snippet from the video lecture.

If your interest has been piqued by these videos…check out Claxon University’s Vimeo channel where video snippets abound! And also learn more about the Claxon University community. It’s a pretty awesome community for dedicated, hard-working nonprofit professionals who want to do everything in their power to make the world a better place.

Lesson 12: How will you socialize your message?

Lesson 12: Overcoming Common Fears from Claxon University on Vimeo.

Posted in MessagingTagged Claxon University, implementation, introducing new language, role playing, socializing your message, storytellingLeave a Comment on Lesson 12: How will you socialize your message?

Lesson 11: How will you tell your story?

Posted on:November 12, 2015 by Erica Barnhart

This is part of a series introducing you to Claxon University, where smart nonprofits go to learn how to use better words to create a better world.

Claxon University’s first course is Words on a Mission. Each of the twelve lessons in the course asks a fundamental question a nonprofit needs to answer in order to develop high-impact messaging. In each post in this series, I’ll share what the question is, along with a snippet from the video lecture.

Lesson 11: How will you tell your story?

Lesson 11: Story of self, us & now from Claxon University on Vimeo.

Posted in MessagingTagged Andy Goodman, Claxon University, Michael Ganz, storytellingLeave a Comment on Lesson 11: How will you tell your story?

Lesson 10: How will you get people to engage with what you do?

Posted on:November 10, 2015 by Erica Barnhart

This is part of a series introducing you to Claxon University, where smart nonprofits go to learn how to use better words to create a better world.

Claxon University’s first course is Words on a Mission. Each of the twelve lessons in the course asks a fundamental question a nonprofit needs to answer in order to develop high-impact messaging. In each post in this series, I’ll share what the question is, along with a snippet from the video lecture.

Lesson 10: How will you get people to engage with what you do?

Lesson 10: Asking for engagement from Claxon University on Vimeo.

Posted in MessagingTagged Calls to Action, Claxon University, Engagement CycleLeave a Comment on Lesson 10: How will you get people to engage with what you do?

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